When an otorhinolaryngologist, an internist, a pediatrician, or the like views or examines an oropharynx of a patient, a tongue depressor is used to press a tongue of the patient downward to make it easy to view an oral cavity or pharynx of the patient. For example, Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 5-176934 discloses such a tongue depressor.
The tongue depressor disclosed by Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 5-176934 includes a depressor portion and a handle. A physician holds the handle of the tongue depressor and inserts the depressor portion into an oral cavity of a patient. At that time, the physician usually asks the patient to open his/her mouth widely so as to facilitate examination of the oral cavity and pharyngeal cavity. In this state, the physician handles the tongue depressor.
However, if a tongue of a patient is pressed downward in a state such that the patient opens his/her mouth widely, then vomiting reflex is caused to the patient (i.e., the patient retches). Thus, the patient feels uncomfortable. Such patient's experience may be a cause of a psychic trauma. Particularly, infants tend to be uncooperative in subsequent examination or treatment, such as opening of their mouths. The aforementioned uncomfortable experience may cause a trauma to infants, so that they never open their mouths in the presence of a physician after such experience. Furthermore, a patient may close his/her mouth defensively against the vomiting reflex. In such a case, as soon as the physician inserts the tongue depressor into the oral cavity of the patient, the patient close his/her mouth. As a result, examination cannot be completed.
The present invention has been made in view of the above drawbacks. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an oral cavity insertion instrument and a pharyngoscope apparatus provided with the oral cavity insertion instrument which allow observation of an oral cavity and an oropharynx without causing annoyance.
According to the present invention, there is provided an oral cavity insertion instrument which allows observation of an oral cavity and an oropharynx without causing annoyance. The oral cavity insertion instrument which is to be attached to a monitor device having an elongated (long) scope portion is provided. The oral cavity insertion instrument is adapted to be used by being inserted into an oral cavity and has an elongated (long) cover member having a bore which extends in a longitudinal direction thereof, wherein the scope portion of the monitor is adapted to be inserted into the bore. The oral cavity insertion instrument also has an elongated (long) tongue depressor in the form of a plate. The tongue depressor is provided adjacent to and in contact with the cover member along the longitudinal direction thereof. The oral cavity insertion instrument includes an attachment unit used to attach the cover member to the monitor device. The tongue depressor includes a tip end having a width greater than the width of the cover member.
With the oral cavity insertion instrument having the above configuration, an oral cavity and an oropharynx can be observed without causing annoyance to a subject patient. Particularly, it is possible to effectively prevent vomiting reflex which would be caused by depressing a tongue in a state in which the subject patient opens his/her mouth widely.
The tip end of the tongue depressor may extend beyond a tip end of the cover member in the longitudinal direction. With this configuration, when a tongue is pressed downward (toward a mandible) by the tongue depressor, swelled flesh produced outside the depressed portion can be prevented. Therefore, it is possible to avoid a situation that the view of an image unit of the monitor device is obstructed by the swelled fresh.
The tip end of the tongue depressor may be formed into a rounded shape in a plan view of the tongue depressor. With this configuration, a subject patient can be released from annoyance of pain, and it is possible to avoid a situation that the oral cavity insertion instrument damages a tongue or an oral cavity of the subject patient.
The edge of the tip end of the tongue depressor may be formed into a rounded shape in the thickness direction. With this configuration, a subject patient can be released from annoyance of pain, and it is possible to avoid a situation that the oral cavity insertion instrument damages a tongue or an oral cavity of the subject patient.
The tongue depressor may have a pair of longitudinal side edge portions extending from the cover member in the width direction. With this configuration, when a tongue is pressed downward (toward a mandible) by the tongue depressor, swelled flesh produced outside the depressed portion can be prevented. Therefore, it is possible to avoid a situation that the view of an image unit of the monitor device is obstructed by the swelled fresh.
The edge of each of the longitudinal side edge portions may be formed into a rounded shape in the thickness direction. With this configuration, a subject patient can be released from annoyance of pain, and it is possible to avoid a situation that the oral cavity insertion instrument damages a tongue or an oral cavity of the subject patient.
The tongue depressor may be formed symmetrically with respect to a central axis of the scope portion in a plan view of the tongue depressor. With this configuration, substantially the same forces are applied to both sides of the central axis when a tongue is depressed by the tongue depressor. Thus, the operability of the pharyngoscope apparatus can be improved.
The tongue depressor may have such stiffness as to substantially cause no deformation when a tongue is depressed by the tongue depressor. In this case, a tongue can be depressed with a small force. Thus, burdens on an operator can be reduced.
The cover member may have an approximately constant width over its entire length. In this case, the structure can be simplified. Furthermore, the oral cavity insertion instrument can be smoothly inserted into an oral cavity of a subject patient.
The attachment unit may be formed on a base end of the cover member. With this configuration, the oral cavity insertion instrument can relatively readily be attached to the monitor device.
The attachment unit may include a regulation portion configured to regulate movement of the cover member with respect to the monitor in the longitudinal direction. With this configuration, when the oral cavity insertion instrument is removed from an oral cavity together with the scope portion of the monitor device, the oral cavity insertion instrument is prevented from being detached from the monitor device.
The monitor device may include a joint portion having an engagement pin protruding therefrom. The regulation portion may have an L-shaped engagement portion with which the engagement pin of the joint portion engages. After the scope portion is inserted into the bore of the cover member, the engagement portion is rotated about the central axis of the scope portion. Thus, the engagement pin engages with the engagement portion, thereby regulating movement of the cover member with respect to the joint portion in the longitudinal direction. With this configuration, the structure of regulation portion can be simplified. The oral cavity insertion instrument can be readily attached (or fixed) to the monitor device.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pharyngoscope apparatus which allows observation of an oral cavity and an oropharynx without causing annoyance to a patient. The pharyngoscope apparatus has the aforementioned oral cavity insertion instrument and a monitor device including a scope portion in the form of a rod shape extending in a longitudinal direction.
With the pharyngoscope apparatus having the above configuration, an oral cavity and an oropharynx can be observed without causing annoyance to a subject patient. Particularly, it is possible to effectively prevent vomiting reflex which would be caused by depressing a tongue in a state in which a subject patient opens his/her mouth widely.
The monitor device may include a monitor device body connected to a base end of the scope portion, an image unit operable to obtain an image of an observation area in the oral cavity, and a display unit having a display surface, and the display unit provided on the monitor device body for displaying an image taken by the image unit on the display surface. With this configuration, an image to be observed can be viewed on the display unit. Thus, the operability of the pharyngoscope apparatus can be improved.
The monitor device may include an illumination unit operable to illuminate the observation area of which image is to be taken by the image unit. With this configuration, an inside of the oral cavity can be illuminated. Thus, a clear image can be provided by an image pickup device. Furthermore, a subject patient can close his/her mouth while an operator observes his/her oral cavity or oropharynx. Thus, burdens on the subject patient can be reduced.
The image unit may include an object lens provided at a tip end portion of the scope portion and an image pickup device having a light-receiving surface on which an image of the observation area is focused by the object lens. The illumination unit may include a pair of illumination portions provided at the tip end portion of the scope portion so as to be symmetric with respect to the object lens of the image unit. With this configuration, illumination light can be applied uniformly to the entire observing area.
The illumination portions may be located on a line parallel to the width direction of the tongue depressor. With this configuration, the illumination unit can illuminate an increased area of an oral cavity.
The display unit may be disposed such that the central axis of the scope portion intersects the display unit. With this configuration, the apparatus can be reduced in size.
The central axis of the scope portion may intersect the display surface of the display unit. With this configuration, the visibility of the display surface in the display unit can be improved during use of the pharyngoscope apparatus (when an operator observes an oral cavity or oropharynx).
The display surface of the display unit may be inclined with respect to the central axis of the scope portion. With this configuration, the visibility of the display unit can be improved.
The monitor device may have a shading portion provided on the monitor device body so as to surround a periphery of the display unit. With this configuration, a portion of external light can be properly prevented from entering the display unit, thereby improving the visibility of the display unit.
The monitor device body may include at least one finger placing portion on which a finger of an operator can be placed to hold the monitor device body. With this configuration, an operator can readily hold the pharyngoscope apparatus. Thus, burdens on the operator can be reduced.
The finger placing portion may be formed by a protrusion formed at an end of the monitor device body near the scope portion. With this configuration, the structure of the finger placing portion can be simplified.
The finger placing portion may be formed by a concave portion formed on the monitor device body. With this configuration, the structure of the finger placing portion can be simplified.
The monitor device body may include a first finger placing portion formed on a first surface of the monitor device body and a second finger placing portion including a concave portion formed on a second surface located at the opposite side of the first surface of the monitor device body. The first finger placing portion may include a protrusion formed at an end of the first surface of the monitor device body near the scope portion. With this configuration, a little finger can be placed on the first finger placing portion, and an index finger, a middle finger, or a ring finger can be placed on the second finger placing portion. Accordingly, the pharyngoscope apparatus can be held remarkably readily.
According to the present invention, an oral cavity and an oropharynx can be observed without necessity for a subject patient to open his/her mouth widely, or an oral cavity and an oropharynx can be observed even if a subject patient closes his/her mouth. Therefore, observation of an oral cavity and an oropharynx can be conducted without causing annoyance to a subject (e.g., patient). Particularly, according to the present invention, it is possible to effectively prevent vomiting reflex which would be caused by depressing a tongue in a state in which a subject patient opens his/her mouth widely.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, an operator can observe an oral cavity and an oropharynx with an image taken by the image unit. Therefore, an oral cavity and an oropharynx can be observed with an increased area as compared to a conventional technique in which an operator (e.g., a physician) directly sees an oral cavity and an oropharynx. Thus, the oral cavity and the oropharynx can be observed with accuracy.
In a conventional case in which an operator directly sees an oral cavity and an oropharynx, the operator has to change his/her posture or line of sight to accurately observe the oral cavity and the oropharynx. In contrast, according to the present invention, an operator can maintain his/her posture or line of sight to be constant because the operator can observe an oral cavity and an oropharynx with an image taken by the image unit. Accordingly, physical burdens on the operator can be reduced.
The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention by way of example.